Kirstin: The original recipe for this had 3 teaspoons of Chinese five spice for two.

Tom: Well you’ve got it just right here. And I love the nuts!

Kirstin: This has less than 3 teaspoons of Chinese five spice. For six. I think Chinese five spice can be totally overpowering and ruin a dish. If I had put in the amount he suggested, it would have been unpalatable.

Anna: I have to admit that I had to improvise a bit with the ground almonds, discovering as I did at the eleventh hour that I had none. SoI whizzed up some blanched almonds in the food processor instead. This means it probably has a crunchier texture than it’s meant to.

Nats: I would say that’s a good thing. Because it was quite a simple cake. I’m saying that, but how many cakes do I make?

Anna: Do you mean rustic?

Nats: I don’t know… do I? Maybe because it was flourless, it needed a bit of texture. It was very moist.

Anna: I don’t like the word moist. You know that.

Nats: It’s so descriptive though. It means exactly what it says on the cake tin. Anything with almonds is a winner with me. I particularly liked the addition of the fruit. Even though I don’t normally like mango. I’m with Kirstin on that.

Anna: Did you get the white chocolate?

Nats: No. I couldn’t taste it specifically. No. NO.

Anna; I did. But I knew what I was tasting as I licked the spatula when I was cooking it.